Common Plec - Is he poorly?

[bandi2709]

Hi, I am new to this, so please be gentle! I have a common plec. He (and I assume its a he) is 13 years old and has been in our tank on his own for the last 10 years - we have tried to add other fish, but he's quite territorial!

anyway, for the last week, he is off his food (he gets an algae wafer every couple of days), and he is spending most of his time up towards the top of the tank sucked onto the side, but bent over in an arc. He is always bent over on the same side - seems unable to bend over the other way. He has his side protruding out of the water. The more water you have in the tank, he just moves up with it so his side sticks out of the water. He is not really moving very much, spending very long periods in the one place, but it is the fact that he is almost bent over double that is strange. It looks like his tail is broken - it just hangs down - although obviously it is not. He is not very agile when he moves/swim - it just looks extremely awkward for him and his balance doesn't look right - he's all over the place.

We have done a 3/4 water change. The temperature is perfect. He's a very tolerant plec and has always been very amenable to most tank conditions - can't be doing that bad as he's 13 years old! We use an Eheim filtration system.

Can fish have strokes? because if he was human that is what you would probably think he'd had by looking at him. Is he dying? Don't really know what to do next.

HELP! please .....very worried about him.

 

[RobHarrison]

Hi bandi has he ballooned up at all? would be helpful if you could show a photo of the fish. I hope people can advise you on a cure to the fishes illness 13yrs is a very long time

 

[bandi2709]

I have taken a picture, although it is not very good as he's stuck at the back of the tank! But you can clearly see his position. His tummy is a little bit raised on the underneath, but you wouldn't notice anything by looking at frontal or side positions. He has been in this position for hours! I don't think he's distressed at all, he seems quite content and his breathing (from the times I have seen) appear to be quite normal.

 

[JackGillett]

hey mate. sorry to hear about this. what does his stomach look like? is it sunken in or rounded? also his eyes, are they sunken in? a picture would be really helpful. i have had fish have strokes before, not a nice thing. i suspect bloat. id lay off the algae wafers and look at fresh deshelled peas. how large was the fish when you got him? (to find proper age). 13 is a long time even for a plec, and with time comes a less strong fish. keep in touch,
Jack

 

[JackGillett]

just seen the picture. hmm, very strange that the stomach is not raised. poor thing. keep the water good and feed him on deshelled peas, (aprox. 5 a day) and see how he goes

 

[bandi2709]

Hi, have put a picture on the forum, although not a brilliant one I'm afraid. His tummy has a slight bulge, but nothing major. His eyes are normal. He is definitely 13 years old - we got him as a "baby"! - very cute! He's enormous now though. He has spent the last 10 years in his tank on his own. Would this be typical behaviour from a plec who had perhaps had a stroke? or equivalent?

 

[bandi2709]

Sorry for sounding thick, but do you mean normal garden peas but without the shells? Please advise.

 

[dan1801a]

Yes, just peel them.

 

[JackGillett]

awwrh bless him. yeah just the normal ones maybe get a bag of birdeye or something, thawe them and throw em in. if he doesnt take them try boling them to soften them. DONT get the salted canned peas though

 

[bandi2709]

Do I need to cook them?

 

[Tener ds]

just put them in a cup add boiling water wait 5mins take out de-shell add to tank.

 

[bandi2709]

any ideas as to why he's in the position he's in though? It's really strange as he has always laid out straight on the side of the tank, NEVER bent over into an arc.

 

[RobHarrison]

yes just garden peas, peel the shell so you get two halves of soft pea if it was me id treat for bloat as this can effect a fishes balance in the water and also show signs of stomach enlargement, you can buy meds for this at any good fish shop, interpet reviterliser tonic is one to name but maybe people on here have used better ones, hope he makes it through

 

[JackGillett]

agreed :yes:

 

[bandi2709]

Thanks to all who responded. I am going to have a go at treating with the peas and the meds for bloat and see how I go.

It may be just old age - he is 13 after all.

I will keep you posted.

 

[RobHarrison]

also if possible increase aeration if possible and take out any carbon in your filter if you add meds else its wasted money, hope it works

 

[Doodles]

How fast is he breathing?
Was he pooping before he went off his food?
How old is the heater?

 

[bandi2709]

His breathing is a little bit slower than normal. Fairly certain he was pooping before he went off his food. The heater is approx 5 years old and the temperature of the tank is normal. Why would the heater age make a difference? as we've never had a problem with it.

We have taken out the carbon from the Eheim and put Interpet Anti Internal Bacteria meds in the tank as per their instructions and also put in API aquarium salts, which are recommended to aid recovery. He gets a second dose of the Internal Bacteria meds in four days. If this doesn't work, we are going to do a part water change again and try the Interpet General Tonic.

Hoping this is going to help.

 

[JackGillett]

im not sure on the heater thing but goodluck mate. either drop me a pm or a reply on this thread to tell us how he is going. all the best mate, fingers crossed for you.

 

[Mooo]

I only feed cooked deshelled peas..